Introduction

"Vampire, vampire, vampire!"
-
the blood curdling call which was first
popularised by Tom Clancy in his Cold War novel Red Storm Rising,
represented the primary purpose of the now defunct Soviet Aviatsia
Voenno-Morskovo Flota reconnaissance, targeting and strike force
- to
strike fear into the hearts of Western sailors. The Soviets reasoned
that Western navies could be kept out of the fight if faced with
saturation attacks using supersonic Kh-22 and KSR-5 Anti-Ship Cruise
Missiles.

Happily enough this was never put to the test, as we have
since then learned that the Soviet bombers, support jamming EW systems
and ASCMs generally
performed better than we had thought, and their ASCMs had far more
lethal warheads than believed during the Cold War period.

The study of the AV-MF reconnaissance, targeting and strike force, its
strategy and doctrine remains relevant today. In the strategic context
it is because China and India have both adopted the Soviet force
structure and doctrinal model. In the technical context it is because
most of the systems available today in the market are evolved variants
or descendants of these Soviet designs.

China's new "Second
Island Chain" strategy envisages the development of a significant
strategic bomber force, intended to control the seas out to the
Japan-Guam-Australia-Andamans arc, and hold at risk any basing within
this arc. The aircraft available to the PLA to implement this strategy
are much the same as used by the Soviets in their grand play: Tupolev
Badgers, Bears and Backfires. Whether the PLA opts for Chinese
manufactured H-6 Badgers, or refurbished surplus Russian Tu-95MS Bears,
or Tu-22M3 Backfires or some mix of these three types, the future
reality is that the PLA force structure will emulate the Aviatsia
Voenno-Morskovo Flota reconnaissance, targeting and strike force.

Since the fall of the Soviet
Union, a considerable volume of hitherto
classified technical material has emerged on numerous Russian websites,
and the US DoD has progressively been digitising its mammoth archive of
photographic materials. Exploiting this windfall of open source
materials, APA is pleased to present this short briefing package on
this topic.

Observations

The Russian Badger fleet vanished during the 1990s, as the cost of
maintaining it was no longer justified. During its service life it
spawned more specialised variants and subtypes than any other bomber
ever built. With XAC now manufacturing H-6 Badgers again, and testing a
much longer ranging turbofan powered variant, it is not
inconceivable that pressures to deploy hitherto underdeveloped ISR and
EW support jamming
capabilities may yet see the PLA replicating the Soviet menagerie of
specialised Badger ISR and EW subtypes, as they plug extant gaps in
their
force structure. Russia's defence contractors would no doubt be
interested bidders, with their extensive experience and design archives
built up over the last decades of the Cold War.

Another open issue is the PLA's future path in ASCMs. Until now the
PLA's primary focus has been on the development and deployment of
subsonic Tomahawk-like missile airframes, suitable for land attack and
anti-shipping strike, but lacking the speed and knockout punch of the
Cold War era Soviet ASCMs. The Russians never disclosed the fate of
their considerable warstock of KSR-5 / AS-6 Kingfish supersonic ASCMs
carried by the AV-MF Badgers. It is known many were used up as drone
targets.

We should not disregard the future possibility of the PLA adopting the
former Soviet Kh-22 and KSR-5 missile designs, as both run on the same
propellant mix as the PLA's large warstock of Styx derived Silkworms.
Integrating the KSR-5 on the H-6, suffice to say, is not a difficult
engineering task, one which Raduga and Tupolev would no doubt relish
performing.

Whether we consider new build or refurbished and upgraded Kh-22 and
KSR-5 rounds, we are confronted with formidable weapons. Modern digital
guidance systems and radar or anti-radiation seekers, more refined
midcourse autopilot algorithms, and improved propellants would result
in weapons with greater range and lethality than the analogue
originals. Even modest application of radar absorbent materials would
significantly reduce detection ranges and engagement opportunities for
warships defending against these weapons, which given their high speed,
would present a major problem.

The 5,900 kg launch weight Kh-22 and 4,500 kg launch weight KSR-5
remain the benchmark for lethality in ASCMs. The
last round of block upgrades on the Kh-22 series saw the adoption of a
900 kg shaped charge warhead. Another technology which has recently
matured are thermobaric warheads, which the Russians have trialled in a
range of weapons, including at least one ASCM type. With a warhead mass
alone comparable to a 2,000 lb bomb, ASCMs in this class can cause
fatal damage even to large warships, with a single hit. Unburned
hypergolic propellant,
comprising TG02 fuel and AK-27P oxidiser, and airframe debris, would
further enhance damage effects.

Soviet tactics envisaged not only saturation fire with large numbers of
Kh-22 and KSR-5 ASCMs converging on their targets simultaneously, but
also intensive jamming support provided by specialised Badger variants,
equipped in the manner of the US Navy EA-6B Prowler and US Air Force
EF-111A Raven with high power tactical jamming suites, based on the
"Azaliya" and later "Buket" systems. Obsolete turbojet powered K-10S /
AS-2 Kipper ASCMs were converted into ECM drones, and equipped with
Azaliya jammers, to create additional mayhem. At least one Badger
variant was a specialised chaff bomber, with a bomb bay loaded with
chaff and automated cutting machinery.

A final note is that the PLA is still in the early stages of building
up its new force structure, and we should not be surprised should
further items of advanced Russian technology of this ilk appear in the
future PLA orbat.

The Tu-95RTs Bear D
Reconnaissance and Targeting platform was a specialised variant of the
Tu-95 Bear A which emerged during the mid 1960s. It was developed to
provide the airborne reconnaissance and targeting component of the МЦРС-1
«Успех» (MTsRS-1 Uspekh or Success) system, built around a
massive ventral X-band acquisition and guidance radar, which was used
to target ASCMs launched by Soviet warships and submarines. These
were initially the P-5/P-6/P-35 Shaddock/Sepal, and later the
P-500/P-1000 Sandbox series. The
Bear D remained in service until the early 1990s, when it was replaced
with satellite technology. The Bear D was progressively upgraded
through its service life, and as newer ASCMs were deployed, its role
shifted increasing to target acquisition and cueing SSG/SSGN and CG
missile delivery systems rather than direct missile guidance.

The Tu-95K/KD/KM Bear C strike
aircraft was the first cruise missile carrier variant of the Bear,
developed during the late 1950s to attack strategic targets and
opposing naval forces. Its primary weapon was the large Mach 1.8-2.0 11
tonne Al-7F turbojet
powered Raduga Kh-20 / AS-3 Kangaroo, armed with a 2 tonne weight 800
kilotonne (Kh-20 baseline) or 3 Megatonne (Kh-20M) yield nuclear
warhead. The
inertial / command link guided Kh-20 was cumbersome and disappeared
from service use by the 1970s,
progressively replaced with the liquid rocket powered Raduga Kh-22
Burya / AS-4 Kitchen. The most visible design change is the distinctive
nose radome
for the large A-336Z YaD / Crown Drum attack radar used for targeting
the Kh-20
missile.

The Tu-95K-22 Bear G was a
progressive block upgrade of the Bear B/C fleet, in which the Kh-20
weapon system was replaced by the Raduga Kh-22 / AS-4 Kitchen weapon
system. The YaD
attack radar was
replaced with the Backfire's Leninetz PNA-B Down Beat, and three
BD-45K/F adaptors were installed to carry the Kh-22. The Kh-20
semiconformal weapon bay was altered to fit the BD-45F, and wing root
pylons were introduced to mount a pair of BD-45K, for a total warload
of up three rounds. The distinctive recognition features of the Bear G
are the unique tailcone fairing, mid fuselage and thimble nose radomes,
which house
emitters for the SPS-151/152/153 Lyutik self protection jammers, common
to the MiG-25RBV and MiG-25BM Foxbat, and some Tu-16P Badger subtypes;
and the aft fuselage blister radomes for the Kurs N/NM RHAW used to
target anti-radiation variants of the Kh-22.

Tu-95MR Bear E
Maritime ReconnaissanceТу-95МР Разведчик

The Tu-95MR Bear E was a
reconnaissance and intelligence gathering variant introduced during the
early 1960s. They were progressively converted to trainers by the
1980s,
as the newer Tu-142 and Tu-95RTs subsumed their role.

Tu-142
Bear F LRMP/ASWТу-142 Противолодочный самолет

The Tu-142 Bear F is the
largest LRMP and ASW aircraft ever built, and one of the highest
performing. A number of subtypes exist, and its airframe was the basis
for the most recent Bear H strike variant.

The Tu-142MR 'Orel' [Eagle]
Bear J is Russia's TACAMO, providing a communications relay capability
to submerged SSBNs, SSGNs and SSNs. It is based on the Bear F airframe
but has unique systems. The ventral fairing contains the VLF antenna
cable reel, also note the unique nose radome and antenna on the
vertical tail.

Development of the Tu-16K-10
Badger C started in 1955, the aim being to produce a maritime strike
variant capable of carrying the then new Raduga K-10S Luga-S / AS-2
Kipper cruise missile and YeN Puff Ball attack radar designed to
support the missile. The starting point was the Tu-16KS Badger B, armed
with with the KS-1 Kometa / AS-1 Kennel cruise missile on wing pylon
BD-187 launch adaptors, and the Kobalt N fire control system, the
weapon system first deployed on the Tu-4 Bull (B-29). The KS-1
was a derivative of the MiG-15 airframe.

The new Tu-16K-10 was a major redesign, with the nose resculpted to
accommodate the bulbous radome for the YeN, and a revised operator
station for the weapon system. The radome geometry was designed to
provide significant off-boresight field of regard for the
YeN antenna, to permit the Badger to turn away after a missile shot.
The K-10S was carried semiconformally on a centreline BD-238 adaptor,
and the fuel tank arrangement was modified. A ventral command link
antenna was mounted under radome. The design entered service in 1961. A
series of progressive block upgrades followed through the life of the
design.

The K-26 weapon system was retrofitted in 1969, producing the
Tu-16K-26, Tu-16K-10-26, and Tu-16K-10-26B Badger C (Mod) variants. The
Leninetz Rubin-1KV Short Horn attack radar was retrofitted to support
the Raduga KSR-5 / AS-6 Kingfish supersonic ASCM, carried on the BD-487 pylon adaptor. The KSR-5 was a
scaled down derivative of the Kh-22 carried by the Tu-22 Blinder and
then new Tu-22M Backfire, powered by the smaller S5.33 dual chamber
liquid propellant rocket.

The Tu-16K-10-26 variant
could carry two KSR-5 ASCMs, and one centreline K-10SN Kipper ECM
drone. The Tu-16K-26 could carry two KSR-5 ASCMs and one centreline
KSR-2 / AS-5A Kelt or KSR-11 / AS-5B Kelt anti-radiation missile. A
typical warload was a single KSR-5.

The Tu-16K-10-26B subtype was further equipped with bomb racks and the
OBP-1RU optical bombsight. Russian sources are not clear on whether the
improved 240 NMI range Rubin-1M Short Horn attack radar was later
retrofitted to the Badger C.

The KSR-11 anti-radiation variant of the Kelt was targeted using the
Ritsa homing receiver, which used a nose mounted 8 element
interferometer antenna, usually in an inverted T arrangement. It was
later replaced with the VSP-K / L-067 Taifun homing receiver in the
Tu-16K-10-26P subtype.

The Tu-16K-26, Tu-16K-10-26, and
Tu-16K-10-26B Badger C (Mod) variants were equipped with the new
Leninetz Rubin-1KV Short Horn attack radar to support
the Raduga KSR-5 / AS-6 Kingfish supersonic ASCM. The missile was based
on the large Kh-22 / AS-4 Kitchen.

Tu-16RM/RM-1
Badger D Maritime
ReconnaissanceТу-16РM/РM-1
Разведчик

The Tu-16RM variant was a
dedicated maritime reconnaissance subtype, based on the Badger C.
Intended to form the 'Hunter' component of a 'hunter-killer' mix with
the Badger C, it is
easily distinguished by the absence of missile pylons and the
installation of ventral
SRS-1M and SRS-4 Romb (Project 30) ESM receiver radomes. These aircraft
were equipped with the improved YeN-R Puff Ball, credited with 180 kW
peak power and a detection range of 260 NMI. Additional fuel was
carried. Around 20 Badger Cs were converted to this configuration.

The Tu-16K-16 Badger G was a
block upgrade of the earlier Tu-16KS Badger B, designed to support the
KSR-2 / AS-5A Kelt ASCM. Development was initiated almost concurrently
with the Badger C, while the KSR-2 was still designated the K-16. The
upgrade saw the removal of the KS-1 Kennel weapon system, and retrofit
of the new Rubin-1 Short Horn attack radar, DISS-1 Doppler nav, AP-6E
autopilot and BD-352 pylon launchers. The Tu-16K-16 Badger G was
exported to Egypt and used against Israel.

The development of the K-11 weapon system, based on the anti-radiation
homing KSR-2P / KSR-11 / AS-5B Kelt ASCM, led to the Tu-16K-11-16
variant, also
equipped with the basic Kelt weapon system. To target the
anti-radiation variants of the missile, the nose mounted Ritsa homing
receiver was fitted (refer Badger C).

The third evolution of the Badger G was the Tu-16K-16-26 variant, which
introduced the K-26 weapon system and the KSR-5N / AS-6 Kingfish
supersonic ASCM, and a comprehensive avionic and systems mid life
upgrade. Initially this variant was designated the Ту-16КСР-2-5/
Tu-16KSR-2-5. Most of these aircraft retained the legacy nose radome
arrangement, but using an improved Leninetz Rubin-1K Short Horn attack
radar, which limited acquisition range to 130 NMI due to antenna size.

Badger G aircraft equipped with the Ritsa RHAW acquired during the
1970s the capability to also carry the newer anti-radiation variant of
the KSR-5, the KSR-5P.

Some Badger Gs were also equipped with the 240 NMI range Rubin-1M
attack radar mounted under a bulbous centre-section ventral radome.
This solution was required to fit the larger high gain antenna package
transplanted from the Berkut surface search radar, otherwise used in
the Il-38 May
LRMP aircraft. The latter Badger G variant could target shipping
at the
maximum range of the KSR-5 Kingfish.

The Tu-16R Badger E is an ELINT
/ maritime reconnaissance conversion of the baseline Badger A airframe,
equipped with RBP-4 or RBP-6 search radar, and the SRS-1 or SRS-3 ESM
receivers. The designation Badger F is usually reserved for the Tu-16R
configuration equipped with a podded ESM receiver package. The size and
shape of
these pods suggests these are related to the podded L-080/081 series
Fantasmagoria ESM receivers carried by the Fencer. Some configurations
were equipped with optical cameras, and the 75 cm focal length
NAFA-MK-75 system for night photography.

The Soviets deployed a wide
range of electronic combat variants of the Badger, and subjected most
to various upgrades through their service life. There is little
agreement between open sources on the specific configuration of
particular subtypes.

The Tu-16SPS was the first support jamming variant, equipped with the
SRS-1BV and SRS-1D countermeasures receivers, and the SPS-1 low band
jammer rated at 120 Watts, and SPS-2 mid band jammer rated at 300
Watts.

The Tu-16 Yolka / Badger H was a chaff bomber, with a suite of
automatic ASO-16 chaff dispensers in the bomb bay, and an SPS-4M
Klyukva jammer later installed.

The Badger J was the AV-MF
equivalent
of the EA-6B and EF-111A support jammers, equipped with a bomb bay
mounted ventral canoe shaped radome for a suite of steerable jammer
emitters. Most were converted from earlier support jamming variants.
The tactical jamming system comprised the SPS-22N
/ SPS-33N / SPS-44N / SPS-55N and SPS-77 Buket, with range of
deception and noise jamming modes in several bands. Russian sources
claim that in 1972 the Buket was enhanced with the capability to focus
its power into a narrow beam, probably by driving multiple emitters coherently
and using them as a phased array, the upgrade applied to ten aircraft
under the designation of "Fikus". During the 1960s some aircraft were
also equipped with SPS-100A and SPS-100M high power noise
jammers. Some were equipped with the SPS-120 Kaktus jammer, mounted in
the bomb bay.

Russian sources claim that some of these aircraft were fitted during
the 1970s with SPS-151/152/153 Lyutik self protection jammers, common
to the MiG-25RBV and MiG-25BM Foxbat, and the Tu-95K-22 Bear G. This
equipment used the same antenna arrangement and tailcone fairing as the
Azaliya equipped Badger L.

As with the Badger L, there is considerable disagreement
between open sources on the equipment fit in the Badger J series of EW
subtypes

Several configurations of the
Tu-16Ye have been reported, equipped with
SPS-6 Los and SPS-61, SPS-62, SPS-63 Azaliya jammers. Another
configuration used the SPS-5 Fasol noise jammer and SPS-64, SPS-65,
SPS-66 Azaliya jammers. Some aircraft were also equipped with SPS-100A
and SPS-100M high power noise jammers.

Russian sources claim that many of these aircraft were equipped during
the 1970s with SPS-151/152/153 Lyutik self protection jammers, common
to the MiG-25RBV, MiG-25BM Foxbat and Tu-95K-22 Bear G. This
equipment used emitters in the nose thimble radome, the antennas below
the inlets, and the unique
tailcone fairing which replaced the 23 mm gun equipped DK-7 tail turret.

Some aircraft have been
photographed with chaff dispensing pods, other podded ESM receivers
identical to the type carried by the Badger F. The Tu-16YeR was an
electronic reconnaissance adaptation using the SRS-1 ELINT receiver
instead of the SPS-2 installation.The SPS-61R, SPS-63R Azaliya X-band jammers are also
reported as equipment
in the K-10SP powered ECM drone, launched by the Tu-16K-10 Badger C.

There is considerable disagreement
between open sources on the equipment fit in the Badger L series of EW
subtypes - the aircraft is often credited with carrying components of
the Buket suite. The ventral blister radomes are characteristic of the
mid and high band components of the SRS-1 and SRS-4 ESM receivers used
in various reconnaissance subtypes.

Above: The four crew
members
sit
on
ejection seats as in the B-1B, with individual hatches, an arrangement
not unlike the F-111
(RuAF). The conventional instrumentation
in the cockpit reflects the
late Soviet era design heritage of the Backfire. A glass cockpit
upgrade following the Su-27SKU model is a feasible option. Below:
Admiral Charles R. Larson, Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, sits
in the cockpit of a Soviet Tu-22M Backfire aircraft during a visit to
a Soviet air base during the latter Cold War period (US DoD).